BMW and M Power Owners

Caporegime
Joined
20 Jan 2005
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Co Durham
They are actually quite different propositions.

The GLDE350de has a 2 litre 4 cylinder diesel engine with hybrid system attached. By contrast, the X5 has a 3 litre turbo petrol engine with the hybrid system attached. The X5 is therefore considerably more powerful, noticeably faster and smoother. It's a much more powerful car that arguably sits above where a GLE350de does. It is therefore not surprising or particularly outrageous that it costs £10k more - in the past there have been similar cost differences within a range between the 2 litre diesel and the range topping petrol.

But this difference makes the cars quite different - I quite like the Mercedes idea of pairing hybrid drivetrain with an efficient and frugal diesel engine. It gives you zero emissions running in the city but the efficiency and range of a diesel when on longer trips. This is an appealing prospect. By contrast, the BMW decision to pair the hybrid system with a much more thirsty (But clearly very awesome) 3 litre turbo petrol is a strange one.

The economy figure that matty managed on his trip is very impressive for a 2.5 tonne 3 litre petrol turbo SUV. But I'd imagine that the Mercedes would have been considerably more fuel efficient on this trip. If this is important to you, the Mercedes is likely the better choice. If it isn't, the X5 is arguably a better car.

Personally, I wish BMW did a 530de. My perfect car..

I know what you are saying but actual base price, the cars are both approx the same price. Its just BMW charge way more for options than Merc that you end up with a £10k deferential. Thats what annoys me.
 
Soldato
Joined
27 Mar 2013
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9,119
More like 25 degrees to see it with my glasses. Simple answer is to use non polarized ones for driving, ultimately aside from the HUD issues I see very little difference with polarised lenses anyway.
I find it makes a big difference as I can actually see other drivers. I've heard polarised glasses and looking at a still lake is a wierd experience but I've nit tried it yet. Does make the screen tricky to see as well if you tilt your head.
 
Soldato
Joined
1 Mar 2010
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21,777
Polarised (Oakly flak-jackets) I use for driving/mountains/sea cut glare massively with reflections off of surfaces, they have different qualities between manufacturers,
even the lcd car screens and phones give problems - never tried amoled.

Alternative to X5 phev - is the new Toureg - he extols benefit of rear wheel on big suv's which T doesnt have.
driven with the VW Touareg eHybrid PHEV vs Touareg R
[watched this afterward Tesla model S yolk looks like a fail https://youtu.be/B3DTQT0i754?t=96 ]

e: seems there is a solution to polarised issue https://www.ff.com/us/futuresight/hud-and-polarized-sunglasses/

....
We saw this as an issue and tried to address it by working with a whole new PGU. One that is not an LCD based, but instead DLP based technology. Instead of using a polarizer structure to act as a shutter for light to pass through, DLP uses very tiny mirrors do direct light in the PGU. Each mirror acts as a pixel while red, green and blue LEDs are used as a light source. This millions of tiny mirrors in the micro array are switched very slightly to produce the image that is needed.
 
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Associate
Joined
2 Jul 2004
Posts
1,368
Got an e90 in the household, engine light and emissions light came up, got bmw sytner warranty who approved the repair.
Sensors (o2 and no2?) are stuck in exhaust and Sytner can't get them out. Sytner saying exhaust needs replacing at £1400 cost and insurer won't cover exhaust replacement.

Sheesh what to do? :(
Just an update, this is sorted now, sytner said they had to put a helicoil in for each sensor.
They were very good about it and glad I kept paying for the warranty in the end.
Took 2 weeks though, and now the handbrake is sticking. Took it down the motorway and getting vibration, got a feeling its something to do with handbrake shoes...
 

mjt

mjt

Soldato
Joined
31 Aug 2007
Posts
19,994
Is an LCI G31 worth the price premium over a pre-facelift?

Engines are cleaner and the iDrive is more modern and with a bigger screen, but the digital dash is a bit crap really, and depreciation will be much higher than a late-model pre-facelift... thoughts?
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Mar 2010
Posts
4,081
I think ours has everything apart from the sunroof and B&W sound.
New Stock is thin on the ground and we wanted rid of the X3. Our was the thick end of £87k and jumped at it. https://video.citnow.com/vtw7Rxq3SYy I was hesitant with the interior at first, but now black seems boring as hell (there's something Bentley'esk about the colour)



I've had a bit of a fallout with Merc and am now a BMW fan. (also ordered an M5Comp)

Why did you pay so much and then settle for getting it in white?
 
Man of Honour
Joined
17 Oct 2002
Posts
159,534
Is an LCI G31 worth the price premium over a pre-facelift?

Engines are cleaner and the iDrive is more modern and with a bigger screen, but the digital dash is a bit crap really, and depreciation will be much higher than a late-model pre-facelift... thoughts?

The late pre facelift cars also have idrive 7 with the new digital dash by the way.
 
Man of Honour
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17 Oct 2002
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Interesting. They don't get the enlarged 12.3" screen though, but the wheels are nicer :p
What are your thoughts? LCI worth the extra?

I've driven both and there isn't a huge amount of difference. The bigger screen is nice and the driver assistance functionality is further improved. This is all I really noticed over a late pre facelift car. If both cars have driver assistance pro the LCI would tempt me as it really is very very good.

The styling speaks for itself, personally I don't think the LCI is an improvement and with the M sport particularly means there are now no wheel options which are not black...
 
Caporegime
Joined
17 Jul 2010
Posts
25,657
Anyone had recent issues renewing online subscriptions via the My BMW app?

Tried telephoning BMW customer services to enquire but can't seem to get through to anyone atm
I can see them on the app but am struggling to see the benefit of them. Which one do you have and what do you use it for?
 
Soldato
Joined
25 Sep 2006
Posts
14,349
I assume you already have idrive? I added a MMI box to my E93 and it works very well and pleased with it. Think I only paid £175 for it, but the site I got it from no longer exists!

Relatively easy to fit, quite hard to get all the cables back down and out of the way for the original head unit to go all the way back in, but got there.

Boots up into CarPlay automatically and is wireless too so handy. Needs an occasional reset by holding Back but not very often.

Dropped you a message to trust.
 

mjt

mjt

Soldato
Joined
31 Aug 2007
Posts
19,994
Very mild facelift right? How much extra is it?
Well the 530e is available as a tax dodge on the LCI, but I'd probably prefer a 530d or 540d even though tax will be thousands (540i seems a waste of money in fuel and M550d is overkill). I'd need to drive them all, and the competition, before buying anything.

Anywhere between €10-20,000 difference between a late 2020/early 2021 LCI and a 2018-2020 pre-facelift model, depending on spec and mileage, etc.
 

mjt

mjt

Soldato
Joined
31 Aug 2007
Posts
19,994
Because there aren't any with the high spec, And I have no issues with white.. Cars seem to move out of lane 3 quicker when a big white X5 comes up behind them for some reason :D
If you’re doing it properly, they won’t even be able to see the colour of the car :p
 
Man of Honour
Joined
17 Oct 2002
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159,534
Well the 530e is available as a tax dodge on the LCI, but I'd probably prefer a 530d or 540d even though tax will be thousands (540i seems a waste of money in fuel and M550d is overkill). I'd need to drive them all, and the competition, before buying anything.

Anywhere between €10-20,000 difference between a late 2020/early 2021 LCI and a 2018-2020 pre-facelift model, depending on spec and mileage, etc.

I've thought about this quite a lot as I reached my self imposed 5 year ownership limit this year. I've subsequently decided not to bother doing anything, but the conclusion I reached is that what i wanted was one of the last of the pre LCI cars. This is because:

a) I think the pre LCI with Icon LED lights is a better looking car than the LCI. They've added new headlights - which always look like a Skoda Octavia in your mirror - and smoked the back lights a bit. Hmmm. Whereas the pre LCI with Icon LED is a great looking car.
b) All of the wheel options on the LCI are quite horrible - it seems nothing is safe from black wheels now
c) iDrive 7 and the new digital dash is present on the last 9 months or so of pre LCI cars
d) Not applicable to you but in the UK market the 540i is not available anymore post LCI and I'd not made up my mind with regards to diesel v petrol

The major improvement for me of the LCI was the improved driver assistant pro, but in this country we don't spec things like that, we spec massive wheels, carbon fibre spoilers and stickers that say M Performance so I was never going to find one with it fitted anyway.

Then I realised even a 12 month old pre LCI car is about £800,000 so I decided not to bother. My F10 at a year old was about £27k - I'm not interested in paying the same now for a 60,000 mile 4 year old pre LCI G30 and £40k+ for a year old 5 series diesel is ridiculous.

So the F10 stays, but hopefully my thoughts are of use to you :D

It is a shame because I've driven a lot of G30 and really like them and with this decision the opportunity to own one goes forever now.
 
Associate
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11 Sep 2008
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712
Location
Stratford-Upon-Avon
I feel your pain Fox.. I'm ready for a change on my 65 plate f10, especially as I run it without warranty and got hit with a big bill this week (less than extended warranty would have costed though over the last 3 years)

But like you say not prepared to pay current asking prices on a g30, so will keep it for the foreseeable..
 
Man of Honour
Joined
17 Oct 2002
Posts
159,534
I feel your pain Fox.. I'm ready for a change on my 65 plate f10, especially as I run it without warranty and got hit with a big bill this week (less than extended warranty would have costed though over the last 3 years)

But like you say not prepared to pay current asking prices on a g30, so will keep it for the foreseeable..

I'm fortunate in that I really like my F10 - I've kept it immaculate and maintained the warranty so other than the irritating warranty cost it's absolutely fine.

It's just astonishing the money people are paying for cars now, so for me it makes sense to step back and watch. I cannot see the value in almost £30k for a 4 year old car with 50k on it. 2 years ago my parents got a 12 month old 630d GT for not a huge amount more than that...

Perhaps its a good opportunity to wait for the next generation 5 Series and get an early one of those. Just got to hope they don't ruin that with a stupid grille and black wheels.
 
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